NIGERIAN CURIOSITY

SHOULD NIGERIA GET A $3 BN LOAN?

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:28:00 -0600

Nigeria struck the black gold jackpot in 1956 when oil was discovered in a small village called, Oloibiri. Nigeria soon became a heavyweight in the oil market, dominating as the top African producer of crude (until Angola briefly stole the 'King of African Crude' crown) and the 8th largest producer of oil in the world.

According to IMF estimates, Nigeria made over $300 billion since the 1970s from the sale of oil. But, rampant corruption and theft left the nation with little to show for the oil wealth but poverty and incredible debt. Although penalties and late payments forced the country's debt to reach $35 billion in the 1990s, in 2006, Nigeria became the "first African nation to settle with its official lenders" when it arranged to have most of its debt erased by the Paris Club. Nigeria went on to create a plan that allowed it to pay off its debt and has steadily kept its debt low ever since. According to the CIA, Nigeria's debt accounts for only 14.40% of national GDP, in comparison to countries like Zimbabwe (218%), the U.S. (60.8%), Ghana (58.5%), the U.K.(43.6%) or South Africa (31.3%).

A LOAN IN THE WORKS?
The World bank has offered a 3-year, $3 billion loan for Nigeria's crippled infrastructural facilities via its International Development Assistance program. This loan would push the nation's foreign debt portfolio to $6.5 billion. However, it is not quite clear whether Nigeria has accepted the loan, which amounts to N315 billion, or is merely in talks with the World Bank. According to the Daily Independent Newspaper,

"The Sustainable Development Sector Manager of the World Bank, Semeon Ehui, announced in Abuja last week that the facility comes with zero interest rate.

He said the loan would not add any burden to Nigeria, but stressed that one of the conditions is that projects such as education, health, roads and agriculture get priority because of their importance to the economy at all levels"

THE REACTION
The possibility of a World Bank loan has raised the ire of various interest groups and members of the National Assembly. NGOs like Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) criticized the loan, and condemned the

"governments' decision to take the loan facility at this time without conducting referendum to find out from Nigerians whether we are prepared for another enslavement by the World Bank."[sic]

HURIWA went on to suggest,

"It is logically wiser to take from Nigeria's foreign reserve some good amount of money to transparently and equitably fix our dilapidated infrastructural facilities ... instead of opting to take a loan that will attract commissions under surreptitious guises and which will in future return Nigeria to a near-pariah status as a heavily indebted nation..."

Members of the National Assembly have also come against the loan. On November 14th, the House passed a resolution "to pressure the government to reject the offer of a $3 billion World Bank loan." It also directed the Joint Committee on Finance and Appropriation to advise the government on the consequences of the loan.

MY THOUGHTS
Only last week, Nigeria's foreign reserves inexplicably rose from $58.4 billion to $59.7 billion. Nigeria's Central Bank did not explain the rise in reserves even though those reserves had "dropped consistently in the past few months as a result of lower crude oil prices in the international market."In fact, Nigeria has the third largest reserves in Africa, behind Algeria and Libya. This recent increase in foreign reserves also means that Nigeria is ahead of Saudi Arabia, and maybe even the United Kingdom in terms of reserves of foreign exchange and gold according to the CIA.

Considering the foreign reserves, does Nigeria really need to take a $3 billion loan? I am no financial specialist, but I do not believe the risk is worth it. Although the loan is interest free, it comes with a service charge and non-utilization fee of 0.5% and 0.7%, respectively, with up to a 40 years repayment period. Therefore, if, as has been the case in Nigeria's past, that loan is not used as directed but pocketed by those in charge, Nigeria's children will be stuck paying back a loan they never benefited from. It would be much different if the World Bank loan was for a much larger amount, then it could make sense to leverage that money for domestic infrastructure and anti-poverty projects.

Although the World Bank spokesman, Ehui, also said that "The loan has been offered to Nigeria because of the massive improvement in the economy", I can't help but wonder - Who gives a loan with zero percent interest? Sounds like a car dealer trying to get rid of last year's models and I'm just not buying it. I'd rather Nigeria get a loan from its certified billionaire, Aliko Dangote. But, he's only worth about $3 billion. Maybe if we hadn't given Bill Gates so much trouble to get a visa last year, he would have been willing to lend us some chump change.

Related Articles of Interest:
- Nigeria's Sovereign Wealth Fund
- African Finance Corporation
- Should Yar'Adua Get A Pay Raise?
- How To Become A Millionaire
- Excess Crude Fund Depleted
- No Longer King of Crude
- Nigeria's Oil Expiration Date Draws Near

EXCLUSIVE: EMEKA ASIWE HAS BEEN RELEASED, BUT...

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:06:00 -0600

I can now confirm that Emeka Emmanuel Asiwe, the owner of huhuonline.com, has been released from SSS detention. Asiwe was arrested on October 28th. Unfortunately, like fellow Nigerian blogger, Jonathan Elendu, he is not allowed to leave the country and return to the United States, his country of residence.

This, no matter how small, is good news.

Now, all that is left is to get the likes of Asiwe and Elendu their freedom to actually leave Nigeria.

YAR'ADUA ARRESTS NIGERIAN JOURNALISTS

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:47:00 -0600

The fallout from the Leadership's "Yar'Adua Sick Again" article continues.

Apparently, "[i]n keeping with his commitment to upholding the rule of law at all times," Nigeria's President, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, had publishers and editors from the Leadership paper arrested. They were arrested by the police less than 24 hours after they had been interrogated by the SSS who in the recent past, shut down and arrested the journalists at Channels TV in September, arrested Nigerian political bloggers Jonathan Elendu (who cannot leave Nigeria) and Emeka Asiwe (who has not been heard from since his arrest in October).

Prior to the arrests, the editors and journalists at Leadership Newspaper were interrogated by the Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, who 'invited' them to police headquarters in Abuja. The journalists were then also 'invited' by the SSS, which reports directly to the President, for further interrogation over the course of several days.

IS NIGERIA A POLICE STATE?
It is curious that a President who fashioned himself around a "rule of law" mantra upon entering office a year ago, now has the Police and his security agents at the SSS, interrogating and arresting journalists over a story that has nothing to do with national security but merely his health. This action by the administration is simply one of many that suggests that Nigeria is not a democracy and not even pretending to be. In truly democratic nations, when journalists make mistakes, they retract their errors, provide public apologies and are then dragged to court to defend defamation challenges when the publication's error negatively impacted an individual/organizations character and maybe livelihood. Considering the fact that Yar'Adua threatened to sue the newspaper already, and apparently has that option, these arrests are an unnecessary show of undemocratic force.

Reacting to the arrests, Festus Keyamo, a lawyer in lagos, aptly said,

"[This is] the latest ... intolerability displayed by President Umaru Yar’Adua's administration towards the Press.

Not long ago, we witnessed the unjust closure of Channels T.V, ... [t]he recent arrest and detention of Jonathan Elendu and [Emeka] Emmanuel Asiwe, both on-line journalists, is still fresh in our memory.

Their offence(s) have not been made known. They were not charged to court...[and] a popular programme on A.I.T, ... Focus Nigeria, has been proscribed by the Federal Government.[sic]

The irresistible conclusion we can draw is that the Yar’Adua administration has refused to be an Open Regime where the flow of information is always guaranteed, leading to all kinds of speculations by the Press."

THIS IS 'RULE OF LAW' DEMOCRACY
Yar'Adua's draconian measures are also unconstitutional. The freedom of the press is a guaranteed right and it applies even when the press makes mistakes. None of this would have been necessary if, as I have suggested in the past, the President simply gave the public the truth (or some version of it) about his health condition. Then, the press would not have to do its job and search for information on that topic and of course, the administration would not be so defensive about the issue.

But, apparently in a "rule of law" democracy, the press can be shackled, citizen journalists like Elendu and Asiwe can be made to disappear and constitutional and human rights can be infringed upon with abandon. Hopefully, Nigerians did not sign up for that type of democracy and will encourage Yar'Adua to rethink his recent undemocratic actions for the betterment of Nigeria and the people.

Please read Reporters Without Borders 2008 Annual Report on Nigeria. Apparently, Leadership Newspaper is a constant target by the SSS and Yar'Adua administration. Very disturbing...

Related Articles of Interest:
- Yar'Adua To Sue Nigerian Newspaper
- Channels TV Shut Down By Yar'Adua
- Yar'Adua And The Continuing Heath Issue
- The Consequences of Yar'Adua's Mysterious Health
- Suppression In A Democratic Regime
- Nigerian Blogger Arrested

YAR'ADUA TO SUE NIGERIAN NEWSPAPER

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:09:00 -0600

On November 8th, Leadership Newspaper's lead story was titled "Yar'Adua Sick Again" and it alleged that the President had missed certain events due to health matters. The newspaper also stated that doctors were flown in from Saudi Arabia on his behalf. The following day, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Olusegun Adeniyi, announced that Nigeria's President will sue Leadership Newspaper for libel. According to Adeniyi,

"In keeping with his commitment to upholding the rule of law at all times, Yar'Adua has directed his lawyers to take appropriate legal action against the Leadership newspaper...

There is no truth in the entire report ... the only reasonable conclusion is that the publishers ... ran the report ... to embarrass the President and destabilise his administration. [sic]

The truth is that the President is in good health and has been attending to all his official duties in full view of the media in the past week"

This announcement resulted in an immediate public apology from Leadership Newspaper. According to a Daily Trust report, Leadership's publishers stated,

"...portions of the lead story carried yesterday ... did not meet the standard we have set for ourselves as a newspaper. Having taken a second look ... we can understand the concerns of the Presidency and therefore sincerely apologise...

That mix-up does not suggest, however, that we have been working in alliance with any person or group or party that does not mean well for our president or our country."

MY THOUGHTS
Yar'Adua has every right to sue anyone who defames him or his character. Clearly, Leadership Newspaper has retracted some of its report and admitted that its article, "Yar'Adua Sick Again", was not entirely factual, thus furthering any libel case the President might have against the publication.

If this were a perfect world, however, two crucial things would have happened.

As soon as he became President,Yar'Adua would have told the nation exactly what was/is/might be wrong with his health. That, coupled with Nigeria's fervor for religion, would likely have endured the public to him, forcing most to pray for him and defend him from any further discussions about his health.
Upon being upfront with the people, he would have sued the first publication to then print untruths about his health instead of shutting down Channels TV and arresting bloggers like Jonathan Elendu and Emeka Asiwe (who has been missing for over 2 weeks).

Granted, hindsight is 20/20, but had these two things happened, there would be little need for the President to respond to rumors about the condition of his health this late into his presidential term, especially as there are other important matters that he must deal with such as establishing his cabinet (which was recently dissolved) and addressing the myriad of issues Nigeria faces. Of course, there will always be detractors, but by sharing a personal issue with the greater public, Nigerians would more than likely defend him and squash political opportunists who try to use his health as a divisive issue.

Additionally, I must confess that I am turned off by Adeniyi's accusation that Leadership Newspaper was attempting to "destabilise"[sic] Yar'Adua's administration. While that might be true, it sets an unhealthy precedent when a democratic government publicly makes general accusations that it in turn does not butress with further evidence. This is not the first time those close to Yar'Adua have accused others of trying to undermine the government. In fact, it seems to be a recurring refrain from those in power right now and that is dangerous in a nation that has seen many dictatorships and is struggling to gain a true democratic footing.

Finally, I must highlight one more statement shared by Adeniyi on behalf of the president.

"While Yar'Adua fully believes that a free and unfettered press is essential to the growth and entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria, he is equally of the view that the propagation of spiteful and malicious falsehood must not be allowed to become an acceptable weapon of political opposition in our country."

I completely agree with the sentiment above and thank God that courts are best equipped for dealing with defamation cases. However, I must remind the president that 2 bloggers were recently detained and accused of everything from treason to money laundering. They are yet to be charged with any crime even though their characters have now come under question and they are not free. I must also emphasize that although spiteful and malicious falsehoods can have legal consequences, the freedom of speech and expression by average Nigerians and especially bloggers and citizen journalists is a universally accepted right that should never be suppressed particularly in a democratic nation. Consequently, I repeat my call for Jonathan Elendu to be given his travel documents so he can return to his wife and child, and that Emeka Asiwe be released from SSS detention so he can as well return to his family. Or, do we want to add the following to the growing global ideas about what kind of country Nigeria is -

"It looks like Nigeria isn’t any nicer than China when it comes to dissenters and blogs."

It could be, if we aren't truly committed "to upholding the rule of law at all times."

**If, for any reason, the original Leadership story becomes unavailable, I have a copy and can make it available, when necessary.

Related Articles of Interest:
- Channels TV Shut Down By Yar'Adua
- Yar'Adua And The Continuing Heath Issue
- The Consequences of Yar'Adua's Mysterious Health
- Suppression In A Democratic Regime
- Nigerian Blogger Arrested
- Turning Away from Democracy

CONFRONTING A CULTURE OF BRUTALITY & INJUSTICE

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:08:00 -0600

In the aftermath of Uzoma Okere's violent assault at the gun butts and horsewhips of Arogundade's men, Nigerians have reacted with outrage that a young woman could be treated like an animal. The internet has proven to be the main forum for young Nigerians to discuss Uzoma's situation and advocate justice for her. I congratulate every Nigerian and non-Nigerian that has taken the time to think about what happened to Uzoma and spoken up in her defense.

We now know that Uzoma is suing for N100 Million and that she is popular enough to even run for political office sometime soon. Yet, the question remains, when this story dies down and fades away from our immediate consciousness, would Nigeria have changed? Yes, the military and its 'ratings' will think twice before they assault any person again. After all, they have no clue who is recording their actions on a cell phone camera. Maybe public officials will think twice about stealing public money because, someone might take photographic evidence and put it on CNN. However, overall, will our collective attitude towards each other have changed? If it doesn't then Uzoma's assault, the resulting outrage and any positive achievements will not have a long term effect.

In the past, I have argued that many Nigerians believe that the poor are to blame for their poverty. I have also posited that the Nigerian psyche is currently in a state of Persistent Psychological Paralysis, thus, creating some difficulty for Nigeria's future. But, one aspect of Nigerian behavior that I am yet to confront on this site is the culture of brutality and injustice that exists in the country. The treatment Uzoma received is simply a drop in the sea of violence that exists in Nigeria. We, as Nigerians, might not want to address this reality, but until we do, no amount of outrage towards Uzoma's situation will prevent another innocent Nigerian from suffering a similar fate.

ON BRUTALITY
From my experience, almost anyone in Nigeria can be the victim of a violent assault and their aggressor doesn't even have to wear a uniform. Think about the house maids and house boys you have seen maltreated by their 'oga' (boss). Think about the lowly office employee who might have been at the tail end of a verbal assault because he didn't stand up quickly enough to "greet" someone. Think about the useless area boys who use their numbers and strength to demand payments/bribes from the average citizen just to cross the street. Remember in July 2007, when Lagosian ladies were detained for "dressing indecently" and just think about what would happen to a homosexual in Nigeria. I don't think I need to expand on that.

Abuse is far too common, from the man who hits his wife, even to the teachers who exceed their disciplinary role when they punish some of their students. Violence should never be condoned, whether it happens to the daughter of the Sergeant-At-Arms of the National Assembly or the child of a market woman. How do we, as a people, ensure that all citizens will be treated equally under the law and protected from random acts of violence and brutality?

ON INJUSTICE
Take a look at Nairaland, one of the most popular online forums were Nigerians discuss matters, and you will see that the members are openly mocking any idea of a real investigation by the Navy and Senate into Uzoma's assault.Why? Because Nigerians are used to injustice and consider it the norm. Many Nigerians believe that once "brown bags" pass hands, (in)justice will be served. It is a shame that in a democracy, this is Nigeria's reality, far often than not.

In Nigeria, unfortunately, if you are not connected and do not have the luxury of wealth, justice is not a concept that you can understand and/or expect. If there were a modicum of justice in Nigeria, I and those who care, would know where Emeka Asiwe is. Emeka Asiwe is a Nigerian blogger who has been detained by the SSS since November 1st and, as far as I know, he is yet to be heard from and has not returned to his family in Massachusetts.
LET US CHANGE THE COLLECTIVE ATTITUDE
We, as a people, cannot forget that theoutrage expressed by average citizens is not just about Uzoma. The disappointment I feel is not just about Emeka Asiwe or Jonathan Elendu. This growing and natural reaction must be about the countless, nameless Nigerians whose story we will never know, but who have been the victims of brutality and injustice at the hands of their own countrymen, in uniform or not. Nigeria's attitude towards people, must change. Differences in class, tribe, religion, sexual orientation do not matter and should not affect how we treat each other. No one person is better than another. We have to put a stop to the culture of brutality and injustice and end the silence that fosters such attitudes. Maybe Uzoma's case will be the first step towards a change in the collective attitude. But, no matter what, we can't forget the bigger issue - confronting the culture of brutality and injustice. That is essential for any nation and its people to excel.

Related Articles of Interest:
- A Window Into (In)Justice: Uzoma Okere Updates
- When Nigeria's Military Attack Citizens
- Turning Away from Democracy
- "Free Jonathan Elendu Now!"

A WINDOW INTO (IN)JUSTICE: UZOMA OKERE UPDATES

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:41:00 -0600

Nigeria is an interesting place and there are interesting updates on Uzoma Okere's case. These updates raise serious issues that every Nigerian should be concerned about.

FASHOLA STEPS IN: Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, apologized to Uzoma, saying,

"Those of us who exercise authority in the state who owe it a responsibility to protect you have actually turned against you. I am sorry.

This matter has been brought to my attention by e-mails, well placed on the internet on what took place. I can assure you that our democracy will protect you, you will get justice....

Whatever legal assistance you will require, the state government will provide it for you. I will make representation to his Excellency, Mr. President and all the reports I get from the Ministry of Justice, I will pass it to him. I am sure that he will do justice to it."

NIGERIA'S SENATE LAUNCHES AN INQUIRY: The Senate Committee on Navy has asked the Chief of Naval Staff, for an explanation of why his subsidiaries assaulted Uzoma. This was a reaction to a petition submitted by Uzoma's father, Sergeant-At-Arms of the National Assembly, Col. Emmanuel Okere (rtd), seeking justice for his daughter.

NIGERIA'S NAVY LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION: Not to appear inadequate, and because they are "sensitive to how the public perceived [it]", the Navy has not only ordered an investigation into the incident, but has publicly promised that anyone directly or remotely connected with the incident would be sanctioned if found guilty.

WOLE SOYINKA & OTHERS SPEAK UP: Interest groups like Project Alert, Women Arise, Real Woman Foundation and the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) have all spoken about their outrage over Uzoma's assault. While Soyinka has asked for Arogundade's sanction (the Admiral whose men assaulted Uzoma), CDHR is demanding, among other things that,

"... Arogundade and his men, who are ratings in naval uniform, be relieved of their posts via dismissal from service for engaging in conduct that show that they are not fit and proper persons to be retained as officers and men of the Nigerian Navy."

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE...

I applaud Governor Fashola for taking this first step of offering not just an apology but pledging to use state legal resources and his influence to get justice for this victim of a brutal assault. The reality is that many other governors would not have paid this matter any mind. I also commend the Senate Committee on the Navy for stepping in, this action could be crucial, even if it be symbolical only, in preventing further shows of violence by the military on civilians. It is also good to know that the Navy has promised to punish anyone tied to this assault. If that actually happens and all those tied to the assault, regardless of rank or favor, are disciplined, that will be a significant deterrence of such behavior in the future.

NOW, FOR A DOSE OF REALITY

Unfortunately, I have my doubts as to Fashola's promise that Yardy will get Uzoma some justice. Considering the fact that Elendu is still forcibly in Nigeria (without charges) and might miss his appointment with USCIS, that Emeka Asiwe has seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth and that there are far too many other instances of infringed freedoms and rights in Nigeria, I can only hope that the President of Nigeria, or someone from his staff, will make the time address these human rights issues in this and other cases. This same skepticism applies to the Senate inquiry and the Naval investigation - will anything good come out of it? Only time will tell. But if history is anything to go by, I won't hold my breath.

QUESTIONS REMAIN

There are issues that continue to trouble me about this event and while I am glad that Uzoma is getting attention and will hopefully get justice, these questions remain,

what if the video had never been broadcast online, would Uzoma be getting this much attention?
what if Uzoma's father was not a former Naval officer and not the current Sergeant at Arms of the National Assembly, would the Senate Committee have moved so quickly
given the questions above, would the Navy have bothered to announce that they were investigating the incident? will they actually investigate and punish those involved?
what measures are in place for others who have suffered similar fates to have their assaults/murders addressed by the powers that be?
when are we going to hear from the President on these and other issues?

I continue to support the notions of justice, respect for human rights and constitutional freedoms. Until the answers to those questions above suggest that we are in the direction of protecting all Nigerians regardless of who they are, we will continue to hear about assaults similar to Uzoma's and maybe even worse. And, Nigeria's dream for democracy will continue to wither away and die under the heel (or gun butts or horsewhips) of injustice.

WHEN NIGERIA'S MILITARY ATTACK CITIZENS

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:03:00 -0600

As a Nigerian who grew up in Lagos, I have seen everything. Consequently, the video below does not shock me. What shocked me is that people were brave enough to approach the officers, all be it from a safe distance, and that an individual was brave enough to film and share this atrocity with the world. It is unfortunately common for men in uniform to use their military power and authority to force fear upon the populace and abuse the rights of citizens via brute force. This opinion of mine is in no way an attempt to condemn the entire armed forces, after all Nigeria's soldiers have consistently sacrificed their lives, with far too little credit, for peace initiatives all over the African continent from Liberia to Darfur.

However, no accomplishments will overcome the reality of the footage below - average Nigerian citizens are at the mercy of military officers. In the clip, you will see the public violent assault of a young lady, Uzoma Okere, on the streets of my hometown, Victoria Island, Lagos. According to Nigeria's Punch Newspaper,

Six armed naval ratings attached to a Rear Admiral identified as Harry Arogundade, went wild on Monday on Muri Okunola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, beating and stripping the lady naked.

According to eyewitnesses, the naval ratings hit the lady with their gun butts and beat her with horsewhips.

She was accused of not quickly giving way for the naval officer‘s convoy on her way home in her Mitsubishi Colt car.

By the time the rage ended, Okere, who was forcibly handcuffed and dragged into a private residence on the street in a humiliating assault, was left with a battered face, blood-shot eyes and bruises all over her body.

She was [later] admitted at Kamorass Hospital on Victoria Island.

This treatment of a human being is absolutely unconscionable. Okere is someone's daughter, someone's sister, someone's friend and above all a human being who should not have ever been treated like an animal. In fact, many animals around the world get better treatment. Her assault at the butts and horsewhips of those military officers, in addition to the recent SSS detention of Jonathan Elendu, Emeka Asiwe (whom we are yet to hear from) and countless faceless Nigerians who have lost their freedom and even lives at the hands of Nigeria's military officers simply reinforces that democracy and its ideals continue to struggle in Nigeria. The Nigerian people and the Nigerian government must realize that freedom is the birthright of every human being, even Nigerians. As such, we must all work together to protect the rights and freedoms of the nation's citizens.

In this age of modern technology, enlightened ideas, and even the achievement of the previously impossible - the election of a Black man with a funny name as President of the United States, the rights and freedoms of the people must be paramount. It will be interesting to see what, if any, will be the response from President Yar'Adua to, yet again, another gaffe on the part of security services. Nigeria's Armed Forces, charged with defending the union of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, must not resort to attacking the citizens they serve, like Uzoma Okere, simply because her Mitsubishi Colt didn't move quickly enough for their liking.

Hattip to reader, Webround, for sharing this clip with me.

A concerned citizen created a Facebook page to start a petition for justice for the victim of this assault. Visit it here.

UPDATE: Per Reader Archiwiz's request, I am including the contact information for the head of Nigeria's Ministry of Womens Affairs, Saudatu Usman Bungudu. She can be reached
Via email: sbungudu@nigeria.gov.ng, simuhammad@fmwa.gov.ng, selmohammed@nigeria.gov.ng
Via telephone: +234-095237115, 09-523-7279, 09-523-9883, 09-523-7278
Via fax: +234-095233644, 095237112, 095237113

You can find the Minister's CV here.

Related Articles of Interest:
- Turning Away from Democracy
- "Free Jonathan Elendu Now!"
- NIGERIAN BLOGGER, JONATHAN ELENDU, IS FAR FROM 'FREE' & OCTOBER 31ST
- DISTURBING NEWS ON JONATHAN ELENDU - TORTURE? HUNGER STRIKE?
- Blogger, Jonathan Elendu, Still In Custody
- Nigerian Blogger Arrested!!!
- Channels TV Shut Down By Yar'Adua
- Suppression In A Democratic Regime

CONGRATULATIONS TO BARACK OBAMA

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:02:00 -0600

The first Black President of the United States of America.

This is a historic moment.

Remember where you were when this happened.

And for the rest of the world, Nigeria in particular, YES WE CAN!

GOD BLESS!

BARACK OBAMA & AMERICA: WHO NEEDS WHOM MORE?

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:49:00 -0600

THE COMMENTS PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED. THANKS OZ!

This article was published in Nigeria's Vanguard newspaper on Sunday. It makes a detailed case for why Obama, and not McCain, must become America's new President.

Today, the American sense of self, of security, self-assuredness and invincibility, all once the hallmark of being American, is very battered. Therefore, this election, the challenge is not how to choose who responds to the whims of the people more, but rather whom the people and the nation desperately need to take the helm of a hurricane-battered national economy and psyche. On November 4, Americans must choose a President who can chart a new course for America to sail into the future, refitted or rebuilt, reinvigorated, and restored to a more than minimally wholesome functional condition.

From this perspective, the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama becomes very significant. It offers a bold and compelling opportunity for the American people to find the wisdom and courage to pick the president that America badly needs. Searching for a President in sober times is a completely different affair from picking one from the hat as it were, in good times. The question before the American electorate in the next few days is: Who Needs Whom More: Barack Obama or America?

America’s new leadership must pursue the new or renewed American dream while committing to fair and equitable room for the competing dreams of other nations and peoples rather than being constantly in conflict partly as a result of a single-minded pursuit of one national ambition that dismisses the dreams and passion of others. Having the courage, integrity and persuasion to guide the American people to understand this new global dispensation in which power and military might have become virtually obsolete, will be one of greatest challenges of the new President. And yet it is a task that must be done if Americans are to better understand the world they live in. The very idea itself of Americans having to fit into the world, rather than the other way round as they have always understood it, is itself, the core of the challenge.

In all of this, what then exactly are the necessary and compelling qualities and attributes required in the man whose task and responsibility it will soon be to lead in building this new America, and how does Barack Obama fill the ticket? There are twelve of them: The new President must be a profound visionary; possess exceptional intelligence; be inspired and inspiring; exemplify decency, honesty, integrity, transparency and candor; have extremely good judgment; be competent, diligent, and be in vigorous and robust health; be a team player, not a maverick; be calm and cool under fire, and yet have a will of steel and the guts to act quickly and decisively when compelled to; have a profound mastery of the art of listening; possess an informed and enlightened global perspective; have profound humility; and enjoy maximum confidence, trust and goodwill at home and abroad. Fortunately, he need not be a good dancer.

Of the two candidates, only Barack Obama possesses the totality of these critical attributes. Tried and tested by one of the most rigorous scrutinies of any candidate in America’s history, by the public, the media and his opponents alike, Barack Obama has demonstrated these attributes beyond dispute. If there is also a striking attribute that has won Barack Obama the respect and support of millions of once hesitant Americans, it is his remarkable fortitude, and the manner in which he has stayed the course, unwavering and undaunted in the heat of battle, and in the face of quite unprecedented assault. This is an important quality for a leader who not only must stay level headed in dangerous circumstances as these are, but must avoid reckless brinksmanship, being armed with so much destructive power.

Barack Obama is an all-American and a child of the world at the same time. He embodies the dreams and hopes of not just America, but of the world at large. That is why he is so much embraced by the world, an important asset because Americans love to be loved, and what better way to restore being loved than through the world loving their President?

What about the candidacy of Senator John McCain? Surprisingly, McCain has made much of being a maverick. A good President must, by purpose and definition, be a team-player---the captain of the team. The notion, therefore, of a maverick as an American President, even in good times, is an oxymoron, a woeful contradiction in terms. One cannot lead and be contrary. Put differently, a maverick is essentially anti-social, having little use for compromise. A maverick cannot be a political leader, and certainly not the kind of President America needs. There are a couple good examples of contemporary genuinely maverick heads of state, and one suspects that John McCain would not be too thrilled to be counted as one of their fraternity. In fact, he would be scandalized by the comparison. Artists, writers, athletes, performers, stand alone intellectuals, and private individuals have the priviledge of being mavericks, because the lives and fortunes of others, let alone of an entire nation, do not depend on them.

Through the primaries and a little into the general elections, John McCain’s campaign had substance, integrity, style, appeal and decency. That was until it lost its mind and focus, and deteriorated into a desperate struggle to win at all cost. His subsequent recklessness in not curbing the frenzy of dangerous outbursts amongst his frustrated supporters who have not learned how to lose with dignity and grace, but rather threaten public peace and security, and his mind-boggling abandonment of good judgment in selecting a running mate of less than acceptable intellect, no matter how smart, conspire to forfeit for him, the right to a job so critical and that he wants so badly.

As for this matter called “the race factor’, perhaps the time has come for every American of voting age to come to terms with this long overdue distraction. Barack Obama happens to be a black man, and that will not change. Even if it could, there is hardly enough time to do so. The candidacy of Barack Obama continues to be a bargain for Americans. They will be getting so much for the price of one. Americans have come a long way, and as the smart people that they are, they have the uncanny ability to rise above themselves to acts of courage when the occasion calls for it, and the opportunity lends itself. Barack Obama and his candidacy present America a great opportunity to offload the burden of the dark side of America’s history. November 4, 2008 has become the World Cup Finals of National and Global Politics. Billions of people will be watching and praying for a young man who embodies their deepest dreams. With Barack Obama as President-elect, America, and indeed the enlightened world, could not ask for a better present this Holiday Season.
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Dr. Joseph O. Okpaku, Sr., a noted scholar, author and expert on development and strategic studies, is a founding and senior member of the Billion Minds Foundation. He is also the founder and publisher of Third Press Publishers, and the President and CEO of the Telecom Africa International Corporation, in New Rochelle, N.Y. Dr. Okpaku, a Nigerian, holds a B.Sc. Degree in Civil Engineering from Northwestern University, an M. Sc. Degree in Structural Engineering from Stanford University and a PhD in Dramatic Literature and Theatre History, both from Stanford University. This Article is an excerpt from a “Barack Obama and the Renewal of the American Dream”, a book in progress.

TURNING AWAY FROM 'DEMOCRACY'

noreply@blogger.com (SOLOMONSYDELLE) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 23:15:00 -0600

Nigerians have lived through some interesting political times. In the past, a specific military regime took the time to publicly flog civil servants for arriving to work late. Under various dictators, independent thought was punished, some, like journalist Dele Giwa were blown apart to bits. And, of course, no reasonable Nigerian can forget the distinctly dark terror that was the Abacha regime, although some would rather rewrite that part of Nigeria's history. Then, Nigerians spoke in hushed whispers about the various rumors surrounding the late General and the many who crossed his path, only to never be heard from again.

Despite these realities, the advent of 'Nigerian democracy', though imperfect, brought a glimmer of hope to the people. Most Nigerians did not expect things to change over night, but they were confident that with democracy, Nigeria would inch closer to becoming a truly democratic nation where human rights and constitutional freedoms are afforded to all and protected by all. Nigerians became more boisterous in their political opinions and actively participated in civil society. Nigeria, via its government, even championed itself as a defender of African democracy and peace. In 2003, it was Nigeria that brought an end to a coup in neighboring Sao Tome & Principe by negotiating amnesty for the coup plotters and returning the deposed democratic President to power. Nigeria encouraged its neighbors in the sometimes insecure West African region to strive for peace and democracy as the path to development and stability.

Unfortunately, in recent days, the Nigeria government has chosen to arrest, detain and deprive of legal counsel, bloggers who for whatever reason have written stories that are embarrassing to the office of the Presidency and other powerful political elites. First was Jonathan Elendu, who was detained and allegedly tortured over the course of 11 days by the SSS. He has been released but is not free to return to his family in the US. The most recently detained blogger is Emeka Asiwe of huhuonline.com who was arrested almost a week ago and has not been heard from since. This drastic turn from a path towards creating a better democratic Nigeria is disturbing and requires everyone, Nigerian or not, to consider the possible consequences.

MANY OTHER ISSUES TO WORRY ABOUT
Like any other country, Nigeria is far from perfect. It is a new democracy struggling to find its feet and create a democratic system that is uniquely Nigerian. Nigeria faces incredible challenges such as the tensions in the Niger Delta, poverty - with over 9 out of 10 Nigerians live on less than $2 a day, high illiteracy levels, a pitiful life expectancy rate of 47 years, an over hyped reputation for being a nation of scammers, PPP (and its consequences) and an ever expanding list of issues too numerous to currently address. Consequently, the nation embarked on a rebranding effort to change its public image i.e. the Heart of Africa project, consistent incentives to repatriate skilled Nigerians living abroad (the "brain gain" phenomenon), and even a continuing effort to transform Lagos (the nation's financial capital) into a global economic and financial market.

However, the arrest of two political news bloggers within weeks of each other begs the question of whether this administration is truly committed, as it has always claimed, to the "rule of law". This question is raised because it is difficult to see how the law punishes, instead of protects, freedom of speech and expression. How does Yar'Adua's "rule of law" message gel with the continued detention of a blogger, in this case Asiwe, even though Nigerian law requires that all detainees be charged within 48 hours of arrest?These contradictions are not healthy for a young democracy , especially one that is watched by its brothers and sisters on the continent. Additionally, these arrests simply give Nigeria's detractors one more concrete reason to distort what Nigeria is and who the Nigerian people are. They confirm, for those who are naive, the many negative ideas that are out there about Nigeria. Why would we want to give such ammunition considering the reputation Nigeria already has and the painstaking efforts that the average Nigerian takes to overcome such stereotypes? President Yar'Adua has repeatedly pledged to make Nigeria a top 20 economy by 2020. But, apart from maybe China, every other country in the top 20 has a boisterous democracy that respects, for the most part civil and human rights. Even the Chinese authorities have realized that to compete, the civil society must be allowed to express its ideas and the Communist Party of China is cutting citizens some slack.

DRACONIAN MEASURES WILL ONLY DETER PROGRESS
This new trend of arresting Nigerian residents who live abroad upon arrival in the country will also act as a deterrence in the effort to bring Nigerians home. The reality is that most Nigerians abroad have an opinion on the path the country is taking and have likely expressed it publicly and even on the internet. Could these people also be subject to random arrest, detention and torture? Since when did it become a crime to have an opinion? What about Nigerians in the country. Must they return to the times of Sani Abacha and not trust their pastor for fear that he might contact the SSS? Why continue to breed the distrust that already exists amongst Nigerians by creating an environment of fear? Nigerians are a passionate people, and that passion should be tapped into, not repressed, if Nigeria is to truly accomplish the feats its leaders have declared that it will. Clamping down on free speech and expression is not the way to achieve Nigeria's goals.

IS IT WORTH IT?
The Nigerian government must remember that given the choice between reacting harshly to critiques and erasing the small gains that have been made in reinforcing the image and credibility of the nation, the choice should be obvious. For Nigeria to achieve the success it dreams of we must all treat each other better and remember that we can only achieve the goal together.Bloggers like Elendu, Asiwe and others potentially being "hunted" by the Nigerian authorities should be left alone to practice their constitutionally granted rights. As such, Elendu must be allowed to return to his family in the Michigan and Asiwe should also be allowed to return to his family in Massachusetts. Other critics and opponents should be released from detention and allowed to live their lives in peace.

Freedom is a birthright that should never be tampered with. Granted, it can result in unpleasantness, but ultimately, people who are free are of more benefit to any nation than those who live in chains. The choice is ultimately ours to make. But, I believe that we cannot afford to turn away from democracy, no matter how bitter it might taste sometimes.

Related Articles of Interest:
- "Free Jonathan Elendu Now!"
- NIGERIAN BLOGGER, JONATHAN ELENDU, IS FAR FROM 'FREE' & OCTOBER 31ST
- DISTURBING NEWS ON JONATHAN ELENDU - TORTURE? HUNGER STRIKE?
- Blogger, Jonathan Elendu, Still In Custody
- Nigerian Blogger Arrested!!!
- Channels TV Shut Down By Yar'Adua
- Suppression In A Democratic Regime